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The Top Tips And Techniques For Jumping Higher

by Calvin Gray - Last updated May 13, 2017

Jumping higher is only one of the countless capabilities that humans are able to do and develop. One of the most basic movements developed in sports is aimed on how to jump higher

Jumping higher is also one of the most basic skills athletes are taught to master in their respective training. Probably the most significant kind of jump for athletes is what we call the vertical jump. Vertical jump demonstrates in its full view a person’s ability in jumping higher.

In sports like volleyball and basketball, athletes are given workouts and drills which improve their muscle strength and flexibility. This includes the development of the jumping ability so that the athlete is able to jump higher. It sounds as if jumping higher is but an easy task. However, it is a very demanding activity which requires cautious approach. This is because when an athlete is forced to hastily take the program, he is more vulnerable to injuries.

Risks Involved In Training For Jumping Higher

Jumping alone is quite risky on the part of the athlete since improper uses of the techniques may cause leg injury. Three areas of the body which is most vulnerable to injuries caused by jumping activities are the knees, ankles and hips. Specifically, the Achilles tendon and the knee ligaments are highly sensitive parts of the legs which can be damaged by improper usage of jumping higher techniques.

Jumping Higher Step#1: Body Position

The proper way of jumping higher is done by carefully positioning the body and preparing the body for this particular activity.

The very first thing to do is to make sure that the hips are flexed at 30 degrees while the knees are slightly bent at 60 degrees. The ankles should also be flexed at an angle of 25 degrees.

Make sure that the knees do not form a knock knee position. It should be placed over the second toe. The arms are positioned on the sides at the beginning of the jumping activity. This is the most effective position that will release the greatest power and at the same time reduces the risk of any injury.

Developing the energy within the athlete is also important to boost the jump. That is why two preliminary steps are done in order to create additional upward momentum by distributing the body’s energy on both legs as you take those two steps.

Jumping Higher Step #2: Spring Upwards

The next thing to do for jumping higher is to push the body upwards by springing off from the balls of your feet. You may find that your arms are raised high up in the air upwards. This is perfectly normal because it increases the momentum of the body.

Breathing also plays a role in jumping and it is recommended that the athlete inhales while performing the jump then exhales after said movement. Landing on the ground should be from the balls of the feet to the feels of the feet and not the other way around.

Bending the knees upon impact makes sure that the shock is absorbed effectively to reduce injuries. You may find that by following these steps, jumping higher becomes an easy task.

Leg Muscle Strength And Flexibility Training For Jumping Higher

There are two other things to develop if one intends to improve his ability of jumping higher. The muscles should be able to produce and endure enough strength to meet the demands of jumping. Flexibility of the body should also be improved hand in hand with muscle strength development.

Plyometrics is the science of developing the body for sports. It focuses on speed and explosive movements. An athlete undergoes bounding, hopping and jumping higher drills to its maximum intensity. However, it is a rigorous training and requires rest intervals and gradual progress to enable the body to adapt to the demands of the workouts.

Flexibility development is achieved through stretching programs. These stretching programs improve the range of motions in the joints. Most people think that flexibility is exclusive only to certain kinds of sports. However, it is not true.

Flexibility is one of the characteristics an athlete should always have and improve on when performing jumping higher training. Once an athlete gains muscle strength but with no improvement in his flexibility, an imbalance of the thigh muscles and the hamstrings becomes apparent and thus reduces the athlete’s total performance and may even cause injuries.

Jumping Higher Acknowledges The Importance of Proper Training

With that, we can say that jumping higher is not just a simple task but is a complicated matter when used in a regular routine. This applies most especially to athletes not only for sports which exemplifies flexibility, but also to other kinds of sports. Both muscle strength and flexibility should be improved together in order to achieve an improvement in jumping.

Jumping Higher Summary

Jumping higher depends on the development of the muscle strength and the flexibility of the athlete. It also requires careful positioning of the body in every step of the jumping activity. This is to make sure that the greatest power and momentum is executed and at the same time reducing the risk of injuries an athlete might acquire from jumping.

Improper techniques should be avoided because in the end, an athlete is expected to perform a skill properly and effectively without suffering from any kind of injury. Overall, these are the best way to start jumping higher is to follow a vertical jump program.